LAUSR

Abstract The three-dimensional, two-phase flow dynamics and underlying physics in an open-type liquid swirl injector are investigated using numerical simulations. The basis for this study is a validated multiphase flow solver, interFoam, in OpenFOAM. Turbulence closure is achieved by means of LES with a one-equation eddy-viscosity turbulence model. A volume-of-fluid method is used for tracking the interface between the gas and liquid phases. Detailed spatio-temporal evolution of the flow field, including the liquid surface wave motion and liquid film characteristics within the injector, helical air core, and the formation and atomization of the liquid spray cone downstream of the injector, is explored systematically. The spectral content of the pressure field is also examined to reveal the characteristic frequencies and feedback mechanisms of gas-liquid interactions.